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Imae
Imae shows up out of nowhere to side with and aid the less-than-enthusiastic Yu Jin in becoming the next King of the Chachaoongs. He claims to be the Imae Tal who mysteriously vanished two years prior to the start of the story. A ferocious and powerful fighter, he is feared by many and has been given the nickname "Monster Imae". It is said that Imae's true face is known only to Jack, as Imae has never taken off his mask. Appearance He wears a flowing, traditional white robe and has long, flowing black hair, which gives him an androgenous appearance. Imae is shown to care very much about his appearance (though not to the level of narcissism), or disprove of others based on their appearances - which serves to spark his general dislike for Muyeong. He wears the mask of the "foolish servant" and he rarely takes it off, so that very few (possibly none outside of Jack) had seen his face. Later, he appeared before the awakened Yu Jin without his mask. More recently, he removed his mask while speaking with Eunyul, then later returned from an excursion and had another conversation with Eunyul while wearing his mask on top of his head like Saeha. When Yu Jin is in his awakened state or when he is partially awakened, a disfiguring scar appears on the left side of Imae's face and body. Exactly what the connection between his scars and Yu Jin's awakened state is, is unknown. Personality Imae tends to be incredibly blunt and straightforward, making it very difficult for others to argue with him or extract any information he does not wish to share. He lacks subtlety and usually does not bother trying to hide if he is changing the subject or avoiding a topic. When challenged, he does not hesitate to reveal his sadistic and impatient side, often making threats or taunting his opponent. He has a dry sense of humor and his jokes often confuse or infuriate others. Even so, Imae is a quiet loner that rarely shows any emotion. Muyeong does not trust him because of this, saying that "You do not know what he is thinking." It is also revealed, however, that he is not very likely to take the life of anyone, human or chachaoong, and he can show grudging kindness at times. Like many of the Tals, he is extremely eccentric and subject to violent changes in mood depending who he is dealing with; the general consensus is that he is not someone that anyone wants to cross. Abilities Like most chachaoongs, Imae is capable of materialization. His weapon in free-form seems to vary. However, when attacking he tends to prefer a fusion materialization of his left arm. As a Tal, Imae is one of the more powerful chachaoongs. His nick-name "Monster Imae" seems to be more due to his ruthless nature than any overwhelming power, as there are several people who have shown themselves to be as strong (or potentially stronger) than him. Nevertheless, his true strength however has yet to be revealed since he generally avoids conflict. Should others attack him, he will usually stick with defense. He is very capable of aggressive as well as defensive materializations. Even though he favors fusion type, he efficiently and easily materializes a sword. Notes * It is implied that Imae once had a yongma, but where it went or even if it is still alive is unknown for most of Part 1. Plot History Imae's past remains a mystery even to most chachaoongs. He disappeared for several years, and was even thought dead by some. The situation that led to his disappearance is unrevealed, but is hinted to be related to Bigak, whom he utterly detests. When he returns, there are many who are unsure (at first) that he is who he claims to be, though he quickly lays those concerns to rest with his ruthless way of fighting. Though he certainly seems to have deep connections with Yu Jin's past self, he is overtly attempting to keep the truth from the current Yu Jin for the time being. Part 1 Season 1 The first time Yu Jin sees Imae, who he thinks is a ghost, is outside his classroom.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 01 Imae later steps in and easily stops a pair of chachaoongs, Heenari and Garon, from trying to kill Jin, who they feel is unworthy of being the new king.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 03 Garon initially accuses Imae of being another fake; Imae knocks him out and instructs Heenari to inform the rest that he will support the new king. When he asks Jin if he is okay, Jin wonders how this guy knows his name.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 04 The next day at Jin's house, Imae tells the boy about chachaoongs and the insignia on the back of his neck which indicates that he is the next king.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 05 He then explains that he himself is one of nine Tals, and tries to teach Jin materialization.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 06 Imae watches from atop a building as Jin runs into Shin Muyeong after leaving the market.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 07 Once Jin leaves, Muyeong is suddenly behind Imae, demanding to know why he is hanging around Jin.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 08 Muyeong proceeds to attack Imae, who successfully defends himself.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 09 Their battle is eventually interrupted by Cheoyong, who proceeds to tell Imae that he has no reason to be there, and that the "Second's dog" cannot fool him or Jack. When Imae and Muyeong are about to fight again, a watermelon thrown by Jin smashes Imae's head from behind.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 10 Imae asks him how he found them, and Jin replies that it was easy since the area is now deserted. Imae explains that it is Cheoyong's job to hide any chachaoong activity from humans, so he simply possessed nearby humans to get them to leave. Imae notes Jin's lack of reaction upon learning that Muyeong is a chachaoong, and Muyeong tries to convince Jin that he should not trust a guy who is unwilling to take off his mask.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 11 After Jin complains about not having enough time in the day to take care of his daily chores, Imae starts to help out by collecting the laundry from the clothesline and folding it neatly, to Muyeong's surprise.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 12 Later that day, Muyeong meets with his friend Maru, who informs him that Imae is the only Tal who never takes off his mask, and that he had been missing for the past two years.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 13 As he waits for Jin to leave school, Imae is confronted by a large group of very nervous chachaoongs, whose purpose is to distract and stall him so that Baekjeong could get rid of Jin. When one of them mentions Bigak, Imae demands to know where he is.TAL, Part 1 Season 1: 18 Part 1 Season 2 Shortly before the end of Part 1, it is revealed that this "Imae" is the yongma of the real Imae. References